Preparation of emulsions for sizing textile fibers



COMPOSITIONS, QOATING R PLASTIC.

2 Patented June 7, 1932 GEORGES LEFBANC,

PATENT OFFICE OF PARIS, FRANCE ,rt? PREPARATION OF EMULSIONS FOR SIZINGTEXTILE FIBERS) "'5 7 No Drawing. Application filed February 21, 1930,Serial No. 480,461, and in France January 11, 1930.

It is known that for sizing textile fibers emulsions of fatty orresinous substances are usually employed. The most usual emulsi fyingagents are sulphoricinoleates, or in most recent practice, othersubstances which like those above specified, are derived from thesulphonic acids group.

For sizing fibers of animal origin these emulsions do not present anydisadvantage to but this is not the case when vegetable fibers abletemperatures or other conditions that,

for example, it is not possible to export to tropical countriesartificial silks sized by these processes, since the threads are foundto be completely destroyed on arrival at their destination.

An example is hereinafter given which shows to what degree theresistance and tensile strength of vegetable fiber is changed by theaction of these agents.

A specimen A of viscose silk has been treated with a size of ordinarycomposition. A specimen B of the same quality has been subjected tosimilar treatment but without the use of Turkey redoil.

These samples and a standard thread after being kept for three weeks ata temperature of C. showed the following resistances:

In a like experiment, commercial samples of sized artificial silk havebeen found to lose up to 80% of their resistance.

The objectof this invention is to obviate the employment, for sizingtextile fibers and more particularly fibers of vegetable origin,

of any substance liable to attack these fibers, including artificialsilk, with a view to enabling the sized fibers to be exported to andused in tropical countries.

In particular the invention absolutely avoids the use of sul horicinatesand other u lphonatedwcompoun s "as emulsifying agts for the preparationof emulsions to be employed as sizes.

ccordmg to this invention emulsio f 011s, fats, resins or mixtures ofthese substances in a dispersion of case in, gelatin or shellac or annxture of these substances are employed for this treatment. Asdispersion agents alkaline borat s are employed. In order to obtain aneutral sodium or ammonium mate it is necessary to a to borax some sodalye or alkali Qamm i m).

To the emu s1on thus obtained, there is added, according torequirements, a soluble silicate so as to set up a reaction with theBEER. By reason of the presence of protective colloids in the emulsion,the reaction product forms a colloids solution changed by desiccation toa gel which is irreversible in water at normal atmospheric temperatures.This gel presents in addition an electrification of the surface of thesame sign, that is, positive if the gel is positive and negative if thegel is negative. By reason of this superficial ionic charge the fibers,being of the same sign, repel one another during drying and in this waysticking together of the fibers is avoided without detriment to thesizing.

The casein provides the strongest sizes. Borax may advantageously beused as the dispersion agent for avoiding adhesion of the threads.Casein swollen by steeging for several hours in wa er 1s ere ore a edto. the borax solution. er a time (not exceeding two hours) thedispersion will have been completed. This solution is added gradually tofatty or resinous substances with regular agitation so as to obtain athick homogeneous mass readily emulsifiable in an excess of water. Thepreservation of the flexibility, brilliance and colour of the fiberdepends on the choice of the substances emulsified. Gum mastic dissolvedin M gives excellent results from this point of View. The sizes tend tobecome rather sticky or tacky in the neighbourhood of C. but thisobjection is easily overcome by substituting a ve etable fat such as almoil in place of part oi the ca stor oil. Alter standing for two hours adilute solution of silicate of soda is added and the mixture is dilutedwith water and filtered twice through a filter of fine silk.

The emulsions thus prepared according to the invention are employed forsizing fibers from different sources, either in a single bath, or bypassing the fibers from the sizing hath through a deglutinating bathparticularly when very fine fibers are being treated.

In this case the second bath can be of low concentration and the time oftreatment of short duration.

In the composition of the deglutinating bath no substance is employedwhich might detrimentally affect the resistance of the fibers eitherdirectly or by hydrolysis which can easily be set up in hot or humidclimates.

The de lutingting baths employed in carrying out the process accordingto this invention are composed of formiates, acetates or sulphocyanidesof metal'ssiich as calcium, zinc aluminium or lead.

By way of example and not by way of limitation the composition ishereinafter given of some emulsions complying with the characteristicabove specified.

E mample 1 Palm oil grammes Casein 10 grammes Alkali (ammonia) 25grammes Distilled water; 100 grammes Borax 5 grammes Commercial solutionof silicate of soda 20 c.c.

This size gives the fiber a mat appearance.

- The weight is increased 10%.

E it'd 1724726 P2 ample 1 and increases the weight 10%.

The hanks are steeped in the bath which is stirred either by hand ormechanically during from one to three hours. After complete draining thehanks pass to a second path of one of the three compositions as folows.

E ma/mple 3 Aluminium acetate 1 gramme Acetate of lime 1 gramme Aceticacid 1 gramme Distilled water 100 grammes EmampZe 4 Aluminiumsulphocyanide 10 grammes Acetic acid 1 gramme istilled water 100 grammesExample 5 Lead acetate 5 grammes Acetic acid 1 gramme Distilled water100 grammes The fiber is left in the second bath for a period of fromhalf an hour to one hour and then dried. The fibers are well sized andcan be readily wound in skeins. They are resistant to the effects ofhigh temperatures.

The soaked casein is added to the solution of borax and after standingfor from two to four hours, the mixture is added little by little to thesolution of the gum in the oils, the two ingredients of the emulsionbeifig brought to the same temperature. After standing for two hours thedilute solution of silicate of soda is added, e mixture is made up withwater to 2000 grammes and is filtered twice through a filter of finesilk.

This sizing product (Example 6) can be employed without a second bathparticularly for sizing threads of good quality. After draining thethreads are dried at a temperature of about 60 C. The threads fall apartduring this operation. The deglutinating of the threads can becompletely effected, be-

fore drying. by immersion for 5 to 30 minutes in a bath of one of thesolutions as given in Examples 3, 4, and 5.

Example 7 Gum mastic 6O grammes Linseed oil 30 grammes Palm oil 30grammes {Borax 20 grammes Water 300 grammes Casein 10 grammes Water 100grammes {Silicate of soda 10 grammes Water 500 grammes Made up to afinal volume of two litres.

106. COMPOSITIONS,

COATING 0R PLASTIC.

Example Gum mastic 30 grammes Castor oil 30 grammes Orange shellac 20grammes Borax 4O grammes Water 400 grammes Silicate of soda 5 grammesMade up to two litres.

Example 9 Gum mastic 30 grammes Castor oil 30 grammes Japan wax 20grammes Borax 40 grammes Water 400 grammes Soda lye 6 grammes Casein 26grammes [Silicate of soda 20 grammes Water grammes Made up to twolitres.

I claim 1. A size for sizing textile fibers, comprising a mixture of 24to 60 parts gum resin, 24 to 60 parts drying oils, casein in quantityvarying from 8 to 10 parts dispersed in suitable quantit-y of borax andwater, and 5 to 10 parts water-glass diluted in 500 parts of water, thewhole homogenized into a stable dispersion.

2. A size for sizing textile fibers, comprising a mixture of about 24parts of gum resin, about 24 parts of drying oils, and about 8 parts ofcasein dispersed in a suitable quantity of borax and water, and about 5parts of water-glass diluted in 500 parts of water, the wholehomogenized into a stable dispersion.

3. A size for sizing textile fibers, comprising a mixture of about 60parts of gum resin, about 60 parts of drying oils, about 10 parts ofcasein dispersed in a suitable quantity of borax and water and about 10parts of waterglass diluted in 500 parts of water, the Whole homogenizedinto a stable dispersion.

The foregoing specification of my preparation of emulsions for sizingtextile fibers; signed by me this 6th day of February, 1930.

GEORGES LEFRANC.

